


Wonderland

by littlerhymes



Category: Bandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-02
Updated: 2008-06-02
Packaged: 2017-10-17 17:26:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/179241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlerhymes/pseuds/littlerhymes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Falling down the rabbit hole - an Alice in Wonderland ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to SQ for beta-reading!

She was crying in the hallway when she heard someone saying in a very loud voice, "A- _hem_."   
   
It was the rabbit, of course. She recognised him immediately by his shiny black coat and his checked waistcoat, and the way one ear flopped down carelessly over his left eye.  
   
Although she had never spoken to a rabbit before, Ashlee had been very well brought up so she instantly jumped to her feet and made a curtsey. "Good afternoon, sir," she said as brightly as she could. "At least, I _think_ it is afternoon. Today has been such a muddle, you see."  
   
It must have been terribly clear that she was in want of a handkerchief, for the rabbit immediately began to fumble in his pockets - dislodging acorns, candle-ends, and a thimble in the process - before producing his own with a flourish, a little crumpled but very clean.  
   
"Here you are, miss...?" He offered it with a bow. It was a most elegant item, black silk patterned with white bats, which she accepted gratefully.    
   
"Ashlee. Thank you, sir." She dabbed daintily at her eyes before blowing her nose with a honk (too late she realised she would never be able to give it back). She explained, "The flowers were being so dreadfully unkind. I tried to explain that I am a girl and that's why I haven't petals or leaves, but then the Tiger-lily and the Violet..."  
   
The rabbit made haste to pat her on the shoulder and she bravely dashed away the last of the tears before looking up at him with a smile that only wavered slightly.  
   
"You are quite the nicest person I have met since falling down the rabbit hole," she said determinedly. "I was beginning to think it a mistake to follow you at all. Now I am quite glad."  
   
Ashlee had been sitting with her sister on the river bank - oh! so many hours and hours ago - yawning as she tickled a tabby kitten. Just as she had made her mind up to fall asleep he had come running past, muttering, _Oh, I am late, my paws and whiskers, I am late!_ And she had followed.  
   
"You were in such a rush." Ashlee tilted her head at him curiously. "Wherever were you running to?"

"Just a tea party," he said off-handedly, as though he attended tea parties every day and they had become _such_ a bore. After a moment, he confessed, "As a matter of fact, I haven't been there yet. I will be _very_ late." He pulled out a fob watch and sighed.  
   
"What an odd watch." Ashlee leaned over to peer down at the single ticking hand. "Why, the numbers run all the way up to fifteen!" She had never seen anything like it.  
   
"Of course. Why would you ever need more than fifteen minutes?" The rabbit flicked the watch closed.  
   
"Well," Ashlee said, squaring her shoulders. "Since you are so terribly late, I must certainly delay you no longer." She held out her hand forthrightly. They shook. "Goodbye, sir. Thank you for the lovely handkerchief."  
   
"At your service," he said gallantly. "Please call me Peter." Which was exactly what he should have said at the beginning of the conversation, of course, but this is how people talk in Wonderland.  
   
"Pleased to meet you," Ashlee said politely, whereupon they rather uncertainly shook hands all over again.  
   
As the rabbit then made no immediate sign to leave, she placed her hands firmly behind her back and said, "Before you go, would you happen to know how I can reach the garden behind that door?"  
   
She nodded towards a door in the wall, the top of which reached no higher than her white-stockinged knee. A golden key was turned in the lock, so it stood ajar to reveal a cool green place, with fountains and flowering trees.  
   
Peter shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid not."  
   
"What a pity. I am so longing to reach the garden," she said wistfully. "At first I was too small to reach the key, and now I am too large to fit through the door! I do so wish I could grow and shrink on command."  
   
"Miss Ashlee," the rabbit interjected with sudden firmness, "I wouldn't wish you any other way."  
   
"Oh," Ashlee said, and felt herself blush.  
   
After a moment Peter coughed in apparent embarrassment, and pretended to closely inspect his white buttoned gloves. "Since the garden is out of the question, Miss Ashlee, if you haven't other plans, would you - that is - the tea party -" His whiskers twitched.  
   
"Yes," Ashlee said, and her smile was as shy as his. "That sounds wonderful."   



End file.
